For Marawi siege survivors, every Ramadan is a test of faith and endurance

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MARAWI, Philippines – The scent of home-cooked meals started filling the air as Meranao families in Marawi and Lanao del Sur gathered for Eid’l Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan.

But just outside Marawi, one community of internally displaced persons (IDPs), the just-concluded Ramadan, and Eid’l Fitr are reminders of the years of neglect and unfulfilled promises. They are still suffering the impact of the 2017 Marawi siege.

Nearly eight years after the Marawi siege, many of the families who fled the devastation remain trapped in limbo. Their days are marked by makeshift routines in deteriorating shelters, where clogged toilets, unreliable water supply, and scarce job opportunities have become the norm.

Yet, in the face of uncertainty, they cling to their faith and to one another. With government aid dwindling, they share what little they have, embodying the spirit of generosity and solidarity that Ramadan and Eid’l Fitr represent.

Lingering hardship

Bakwit Village Phase 2, one of the areas designated for temporary shelters, sits on a three-hectare property in Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur. It houses 153 families, or about 765 individuals, living in 130 repurposed container shelters and some concrete houses.

Data from the non-government organization IDEALS shows that conditions in the shelters have barely improved. In Bakwit Village, homes remain in disrepair, septic tanks overflow, and access to clean water is still limited.

For IDPs, the Ramadan period was supposed to be a time of deepened faith, prayer, and seeking Allah’s mercy. However, many in Bakwit Village still have no stable source of livelihood, making it difficult to sustain their daily needs. With external aid becoming rare, they rely on each other to get by, strengthening their sense of unity as a community.

“So sii ro kami roon saya, okay lang naman kay nagkakaisa kami. Maisasa kami saya. Although, walang hanapbuhay, kahit papaano nagtutulungan pa rin,” Samera Mangorinsung told Rappler.

(In our community, we have unity. We are all together. Although there is no livelihood, we still help each other somehow.)

Bakwit Village block leader Mangorinsung said that despite the hardships, residents support one another, sharing food with those who need it most.

“Like one of our fellow IDPs who has nothing at all – we offered a little food like fish and vegetables. What we have, I share with others, even if it is little,” she said.

Mangorinsung recalled a time when she and her daughter struggled to prepare food for Iftar, the meal that marks the end of the daily fast during Ramadan.

“There was a time when the lights went out, and I was not able to cook for Iftar. What my daughter and I had was just a slice of bread. Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), when we asked a neighbor for boiled water, we were also given rice and viand,” Mangorinsung said.

Eid amid uncertainty

For Noraniyah Pitiilan Andrada, one of Mangorinsung’s neighbors, Eid’l Fitr is bittersweet. While she is grateful for the generosity of neighbors and donors, the uncertainty of her family’s future looms large.

“Si karuma akan na loks, sakin na loks na palaya kami sasakit. Giya a Ramadan, pakaumabo so tabang o Allah. Giya mga apo akan na kiyambilagan mambo aya,” Andrada said days before Eid’l Fitr.

(My husband is old, and I’m also old. We are all sick. My grandsons have come from a broken family. This Ramadan, Allah’s blessing is still possible through other people.)

She said that through prayers and acts of kindness, they find the strength to endure their situation. Donations and charity from others also help ease their burden.

“Adan a pibagay sa Sadaqah. Si karuma ko mambo na adan a pibagay roon mambo sa Fitrah. Katawan iran, labow roon sakan a kasambayang bo,” she said.

(There are sadaqah [charity] donations. My husband also received fitrah (a mandatory charity among Muslims who can afford it) because people know that we are religious, especially myself, who never misses prayers.)

Aside from donations, Andrada’s small garden has been a vital source of food. She has planted vegetables, including chayote on her roof, which serves the dual purpose of providing food and shielding them from the rising heat index.

“Ilanga man a garden akan anan, mga garden akan anan. Kapakay a kumuwa ako roon sa banggala, kapakay mileletaan ako sa banggala. Kataya atap akan aya sowitir dan aya,” she said.

(Look, this is my garden, and this is also part of my garden where I can get vegetables to cook. Here is my roof, where there is a chayote.)

An uncertain future

Like many IDPs, Mangorinsung and Andrada hope for a permanent home, as the contract for their stay in Bakwit Village is set to expire this year.

In a recent dialogue with the landowner, IDPs clarified that the construction of Bakwit Village Phase 2 was completed on April 25, 2019, and they began staying there on December 5 of the same year. Initially, their contract was set to end in 2023, but after a two-year extension, an agreement between the landowner and the government will now bring the five-year contract to a close.

Once the contract expires, IDPs will be required to pay at least P1,000 each per month in rent, an amount many cannot afford.

“Aya pangnin ami ko Allah na kabagan kami sa giya permanent shelter. Adan a permanent shelter saya na da kami roon makakuwa,” Andrada said.

(My prayer to Allah is to have a permanent shelter. Although there are permanent shelters nearby, we never received one.)

With no clear relocation plan, many IDPs frown upon the idea of transferring to yet another temporary shelter, insisting that they deserve permanent housing after years of displacement.

Hopes for change

As the upcoming elections approach, some IDPs see it as an opportunity to push for change.

Mangorinsung said she and other residents plan to vote for leaders who will prioritize their concerns and work toward a long-term solution to their displacement.

“This coming election, we will choose our leaders wisely,” she said.

For the residents of Bakwit Village, the observance of this year’s Eid’l Fitr is a moment of faith and togetherness. But beyond the religious holiday, their struggle for stability continues, with the hope that their voices will finally be heard. – Rappler.com

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